Upsets continue to rock Class 5A in state softball tournament

Las Cruces High's Zaysha Hawkins drove in two runs in the top of the fifth inning on Saturday to lead No. 10 Las Cruces to a 3-1 road win over No. 2 Alamogordo to complete an upset-heavy first weekend of the Class 5A State Softball Tournament.

No. 1 Mayfield is the only top-four seed to make it to Thursday's 5A winner's bracket quarterfinals, which start at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Cleveland High School — home, coincidentally, to the Trojans' 5th-seeded opponent on Thursday morning.

Most of the first weekend’s Class 5A games were completed on Friday.

The other 5A winner's bracket quarterfinal in the double-elimination tournament will be the Bulldawgs (16-12), who had been swept in three games by Alamogordo in the regular season, playing No. 6 Piedra Vista.

In elimination games on Thursday at Cleveland starting at noon will be No. 4 Los Lunas vs. No. 9 Centennial and No. 2 Alamogordo vs. No. 3 Organ Mountain — two of the state's top teams all season already on the brink of their season ending. (Alamogordo took two of 3 from Organ Mountain in the regular season).

VIEW CLASS 5A BRACKET HERE

Class 4A

In Artesia, the top seeded Bulldogs rolled through their pod and into Thursday's winner's bracket round with an 8-2 win over No. 9 Goddard.

After a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning by the Rockets (14-14), Artesia blew it open with a four-run bottom half of the frame then put an exclamation point on things with a three-run sixth.

The Bulldogs (24-4) play fellow District 4-4A Lovington at Cleveland High School at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

No. 5 LOVINGTON 9, No. 4 ST. PIUS 6: At St. Pius, the visiting Wildcats won on the road Saturday to get a rematch with Artesia in Thursday's winner's bracket.

Sartans' junior Aubri Hooee went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs in the loss, as St. Pius falls into the loser's bracket vs. Goddard at noon on Thursday at Cleveland.

No. 3 SILVER 20, No. 11 BELEN 0 (3 innings): In Silver, the host Colts made quick work of the visiting Eagles, scoring three runs in each of the first two innings before a monstrous 14 run third brought the game to a halt.

Silver junior catcher Vanesa Lucero was 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and four RBIs. Pitcher Azariah Madrid allowed one hit and faced just 10 batters in her three innings of work in the circle.

The Colts (21-7) play either No. 2 Aztec at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday at Cleveland.

No. 2 AZTEC 1, No. 7 KIRTLAND CENTRAL 0: In Aztec, Ayasha Yellow drove in the game’s only run in the bottom of the 8th inning, sending the Tigers (20-5) past fellow District 1-4A power Kirtland Central on Saturday.

While No. 2 Aztec and No. 3 Silver battle it out Thursday in the winner’s bracket quarterfinals, the Broncos (19-9) play No. 9 Belen in an elimination game at noon.

VIEW CLASS 4A BRACKET HERE